Former Labour activist Ms Waters believes her anti-Islam message, including a proposed ban on burkas, the closure of sharia councils and a temporary freeze on all immigration, will appeal to many voters.

She has argued UKIP could regain support if it had the "guts" to be "honest about Islam" and challenge the view that it had "nothing to do" with jihadist violence.

But Mr Gill said he could not support those views and said "a lot of my colleagues feel the same way as well".